Chiefs cruising on top, Coyotes floundering at bottom of KI standings

The struggles continue for the Osoyoos Coyotes, exacerbated by the success their former long-time coach is enjoying with Okanagan Division rivals Kelowna Chiefs.

The three-time defending division champs saw their losing streak balloon to seven games on the weekend with a 4-2 road setback to Beaver Valley Nite Hawks that preceded an 8-2 loss to the Fernie Ghostriders on Saturday at the Sun Bowl Arena. The Coyotes (1-7-0) are rooted to the basement of the division. Only the winless Chase Heat (0-8-1) have a worse record in the 20team KIJHL. Head coach Ken Law and the Chiefs, meanwhile, won 4-2 in Summerland and bombed Creston Valley Thundercats 10-1 at home on Saturday to improve to 10-0-1. Kelowna is 11 points clear of the second-place Summerland Steam atop the Okanagan Division.

The Steam (5-6-0) bounced back from the loss to Kelowna to beat the North Okanagan Knights 6-4 on Saturday in Armstrong.

SATURDAY — Steam 6 Knights 4: Linden Gove had a hat-trick and the Steam got to Koltin Dodge for four goals on only six shots in the first period.

Cory Loring, Morey Babakaiff and Mitchell Gove also scored for the Steam, who led 4-2 and 6-3 at the period breaks.

Ty Toppe, Cam McKenzie, Jordan Smith and Cole Haberlack scored for the Knights (2-6-0).

Eric Scherger made 24 stops for the Steam, while Austin Madge came on with 1:58 left in the first period to make 21 saves on 23 shots for the Knights.

Fernie 8 Coyotes 2: Dylan Defosse produced a hat-trick as the Ghostriders rolled at the Sun Bowl.

Keelan Saworski, Kyle Ford, Greg Susinski, Johnny Elias and Brendan Nemes also scored for Fernie, which led 4-2 and 6-2 at the period breaks.

Carter Shannon and Ryan MacDonald scored and Brock Marple assisted on both for Osoyoos.

Daniel Paul gave up five goals in 19 shots before Bailey Monteith came on to make 21 saves on 24 shots for the Coyotes. Justin Faiella made 26 saves for Fernie (6-2-0-1).

Chiefs 10 Creston 1: Juanre Naude and Devin Sutton each scored twice and Brody Dale and Lane Paddison each had a goal and three assists as Kelowna buried Creston at the Rutland Arena.

Dale leads the league in goals with 13 and points with 33. Zach Erhardt, who had a goal and two assists, is second with 25 points and Sutton is third with 21. Paddison is tied for fifth in the league with 19 points.

The Chiefs led 3-0 and 5-1 at the period breaks and outshot the visitors 48-34.

FRIDAY — Chiefs 4 Steam 2: Dale was limited to one assist but Sutton, Myles Mattila, Dylan Kent and Kayson Gallant scored as Kelowna doubled Summerland.

The Chiefs led 3-0 after two periods, but the Steam got within one on goals by Loring and Liam McLaren.

Braeden Mitchell made 19 saves for the win, while Jared Breitkreuz made just 15 stops on 19 shots for the Steam.

Beaver Valley 4 Coyotes 2: Simon Nemethy, Luke Recchi, Jake Yuris and Jared Stocks scored as the Nite Hawks doubled Osoyoos in Fruitvale.

Marple had both goals for the Coyotes, who were outshot 29-20.

UPCOMING: The Coyotes will welcome the Steam to the Sun Bowl on Friday at 7:35 p.m., while Kelowna looks to stay unbeaten in regulation when the Chiefs travel to Grand Forks.

On Saturday, Summerland is in Kamloops, Osoyoos goes to Nelson and Kelowna heads to Armstrong to face North Okanagan.